B1 Preliminary (PET) Writing Part 2 – Article or Story

B1 Preliminary (PET) · Writing

In Part 2 of the B1 Preliminary Writing paper, you choose one of two tasks, an article or a story, and write about 100 words. On this page you can choose a task, write your answer, check it with a self-assessment list, compare it with annotated model answers for both tasks, and practise the skills you need with short interactive exercises.

Your Task

In the exam, you choose one of these two tasks. Choose one and write your answer below.

Question A: Article

You see this notice on an English-language website.

Articles wanted!
My favourite place to relax
Where is your favourite place to relax? What do you do there? Why is it special for you?
Write an article answering these questions. We will publish the most interesting articles on our website.

Write your article in about 100 words.

Question B: Story

Your English teacher has asked you to write a story. Your story must begin with this sentence:

When Sara opened the door, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

Write your story in about 100 words.

Write your answer here:

Check your writing

I wrote about 100 words. Article: I answered all the questions in the notice and gave my article a title. Story: I started with the sentence given and told a clear story with a beginning, a middle and an end. I wrote in a style that interests the reader (for example, a question to the reader in an article, or feelings and dialogue in a story). I organised my text in paragraphs and used a variety of linking words. I used a range of vocabulary (not only nice, good and bad). I checked my verb tenses, spelling and punctuation.

Model answer: Article (102 words)

My secret garden Do you have a place where you can forget about your problems? I do! It’s my grandmother’s garden, just outside my town. When I go there, I usually sit under the old apple tree and read a book, or I help my grandmother with the flowers. In summer, we have lunch outside and talk for hours. The garden is special to me because it’s so quiet and peaceful. There are no phones ringing and no homework to worry about, only birds singing. Every time I leave, I feel calm and happy. Why don’t you find your own secret garden?

Blue = where Green = what you do there Yellow = why it is special

Why this answer works

Area	What the model answer does
Content	It answers all three questions in the notice.
Communicative Achievement	It has a title, talks directly to the reader (Do you have…?, Why don’t you…?) and sounds like a real article.
Organisation	It has a clear paragraph for each question, linked with when, or and because.
Language	It uses a range of present tenses and descriptive vocabulary (quiet and peaceful, calm) correctly.

Model answer: Story (97 words)

When Sara opened the door, she couldn’t believe her eyes. All her friends were standing in the living room, shouting ‘Happy birthday!’ Sara had thought that everyone had forgotten. That morning, nobody had said anything at school, and her best friend, Leo, had seemed strangely busy. Now there were balloons everywhere and a huge chocolate cake on the table. Leo smiled and explained that they had been planning the party for weeks. ‘You were all so quiet today!’ laughed Sara. It was the best birthday she had ever had, and she thanked everyone for the wonderful surprise.

Why this answer works

Area	What the model answer does
Content	It begins with the given sentence and tells a complete story with a clear ending.
Communicative Achievement	It keeps the reader interested with a surprise, a short piece of dialogue and Sara’s feelings.
Organisation	The events are in order, in short paragraphs, and the story explains what happened before (That morning…).
Language	It uses narrative tenses well: past simple, past continuous (were standing) and past perfect (had forgotten, had been planning).

A weaker answer (30 words)

My favourite place is my room. I play video games there and I listen music. It is very nice and good. I like it very much because it is nice.

It is much shorter than 100 words and has no title.
It answers the three questions only very briefly.
It repeats nice and good instead of using more precise words (cosy, quiet, relaxing).
I listen music should be I listen to music.
It does not talk to the reader, so it does not feel like an article.

About Writing Part 2

The B1 Preliminary Writing paper takes 45 minutes and has 2 parts. In Part 2, you choose one question from a choice of two: an article or a story.
You write about 100 words.
It is marked out of 20, with up to 5 marks each for Content, Communicative Achievement, Organisation and Language.

Sources: Cambridge English – B1 Preliminary exam format and Cambridge English – Assessing writing performance at level B1.

Tips

Read both tasks and choose the one you have more ideas for.
Article: give it a title, answer every question in the notice, and talk to your reader.
Story: use the first sentence exactly as it is given, plan a clear ending, and use past tenses correctly.
Spend a minute or two planning before you write, and leave time at the end to check your work.

More B1 Preliminary practice: B1 Preliminary Writing Part 1 · B1 Preliminary Reading · B1 Preliminary (PET) overview